Memento
by Doubleplusgoodduckspeaker
Summary: Mirrors don’t tell lies, Anzu. To regain that which is lost all you need to do is come back. Manipulashipping MarikxAnzu.


Title: Memento

Author: Doubleplusgoodduckspeaker

Summary: Mirrors don't tell lies, Anzu. To regain that which is lost all you need to do is come back. Manipulashipping MarikxAnzu.

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!

Notes: Written for Round Three of Compy's YGO Contest. Everything takes place during Battle City, specifically episodes 97, 136 and 140. In this story I am referring to both of them as Marik, but **Bold** text refers to Marik's other persona. //Text// describes canon events.

* * *

Everything was white. A blinding, sterile sort of white that just seemed to go on forever. It took Anzu several minutes just to realize that she had yet to open her eyes.

She did, only to find that everything was much darker. _Where am I? How did I get here?_

_Here_ was a fair-sized room made larger by the fact that she was alone in it. She had yet to make out any windows or doors, and one wall was lined with mirrors with a bar running alongside them. She took comfort in the familiarity of the setting, but it still unnerved her. She had never been _here_ before.

"You woke up faster than I thought you would. I wasn't sure if you'd wake up at all." She scrambled to her feet at this intrusion, finding no one present in the room besides herself. _Then, how…?_ The man appeared in the mirror, staring back at her, almost through her.

//She was with Jounouchi when the Rare Hunters came. They overpowered her easily; the last things she remembered were the swish of their cloaks, Jounouchi's cry to "run!" and then something hit her head, and then… darkness…//

Anzu knew with an unmistakable dread that started from her stomach and spread throughout her limbs exactly who this man was.

"Marik."

-------

"So where am I?"

"You ought to know your own soul room."

After all the strange incidents and threats of the shadow realm, Anzu shouldn't have been surprised. There was even a small part of her that actually thought she was in the shadow realm, and her shoulders slumped with obvious relief at this tidbit of information. None of this helped her current predicament, however. She needed to figure out exactly what was going on, even if it meant talking to Marik. She eyed his reflection in the mirror warily, her eyes unconsciously darting back and forth from him, to the empty spot where he would have been standing.

"If this is my soul, then what are you doing here? What's happening to me?" Anzu frowned, a sure sign that she was confused. She had been trying to get some answers from Marik, but mostly he just returned her questions with more questions. It was starting to get annoying. She wanted out.

"You are currently under my control. My Millennium Rod gives me complete control over anyone. I can manipulate their movements, make them say or do anything I want. It is the ultimate power, the power of Kings." He brought the Item into view; it glinted in the dim light as if winking at her. She shuddered instinctively at the aura she felt emanating in waves from it. It felt sinister.

"But you're not controlling me. I'm right here."

"Here in mind, perhaps. But **I **am in control of your body. At this moment, your body is currently strapped into a chair underneath a giant crate set to crush you at my command—a little…collateral, if you will, in case anyone dares interfere with the duel between the blonde one and the pharaoh." He looked for a moment at her, as if he was judging her reaction and was unsatisfied with it. "Do you know what happens to a mind detached from its body when the body perishes? It can't handle the stress, the trauma of existing without a host. _It shatters_, and even without a body you will feel such agony that to your fractured mind it will feel like infinity, a thousand times worse than the Shadow Realm. And that's just you. Imagine what your friends would go through—"

"I won't let you even try to hurt my friends!" He just stood there, looking as amused and detached as ever as she poured out everything she had been keeping in. "And even if you try, Yugi will beat you! He has us to believe in him! What is it that you have?" She stared him down. He made her skin crawl.

"My dear Anzu, it's not what I have, but what I'm about to get. But to answer your question, what I'd say I have… is you. I have what is most important to Yugi—his friends."

She opened her mouth but no words came. His smirk seemed even larger in the mirror, like some sort of insane Cheshire cat. "It was frightfully easy to take control of your body, but then your mind retreated into this room…it may have even created this room as a fortress against me… how interesting—" and Anzu thought of a hundred different words that he could have said and meant instead of 'interesting' "—and now, at this very moment I am about to make my move. You and Jounouchi are pawns in this much bigger game, and soon, it will all be over. The pharaoh will lose, and then I…oh, **I**…"

"Stop it!" Anzu shrieked, and Marik's laugh echoed all around, and he reached out his hand as if beckoning to her. It hovered closer, and closer, until it_ came in through the other side of the mirror_. One hand became an arm; one arm became two and those two arms gripped the surface of the mirror and pulled the rest of him into the room.

Before she knew what was happening **Marik** stood before her regarding her cruelly as if she was his prey. Anzu couldn't stay here, she had to get away. He watched her run across the room only to be stopped by another mirror, and her own reflection, and he knew she could see him. She held her hands up to the glass surface, searching for an escape. She found a pathway and darted through. He frowned grimly. She would find no escape there.

"Do you like mazes?** I** do." He followed her behind a wall of mirrors. He was in no hurry.

She turned towards the sound of his voice, thought better of it and then kept moving, sometimes going so fast she nearly ran into the mirrored walls but wherever she went there was nothing but her own reflection. Then the sound of his footsteps would shadow her again; taunting her, teasing her. _Who was chasing whom?_

Inhale. Exhale. The sounds of her breath filled the quiet space. Even if she somehow managed to slow down her breathing, the pounding of her own traitorous heart would surely give her away. It was pounding so loudly and so often that the pressure of it began to hurt like a knife. The mirrored pathways continued for as long as she ran; it seemed that every time she found a new one he was somewhere else. **He** seemed to be everywhere at once. She twisted and turned; at every new angle she seemed to find an opening in the maze, only leading her _down, down, down…_ Anzu tried to mask her panic, but what she felt underneath it all was fear. Not for her own life, but for what he was going to do to her friends—what he could have already done she didn't know. She couldn't stay trapped like this. She couldn't take not knowing.

He was behind her. He was in front of her. He was all around her. **He** was beside her.

"When you find what you're looking for, the reward is so much more satisfying." Stunned by his closeness and woozy by the slight smell of incense which she was _sure_ was not a figment of her imagination, Anzu had no time to react before he grabbed her shoulder and spun her around so she could see both of their reflections in the mirror, preventing her escape by pressing her close to him. She struggled and shouted, attempting to elbow him in the ribs but he trapped her arm by her side, wrapping his arms around her in a mock embrace.

**He** held her close until her movements stilled, and in defeat she leaned into his embrace. They looked at their reflections in the mirror. He looked triumphant, and she looked petrified. "You were fun to play with."

She could not understand him. Was all this just a game to him? He was still here because she had put up a fight? Why? "You're here…how…but the mirror…" Her eyelids twitched as tears started to gather in the corners of her eyes. She closed them; she didn't want to see either Marik or herself right now, and with the mirror directly in front of her it was impossible to avoid either of them.

The corners of his mouth quirked upwards at her submission; the stress had finally gotten to her. "How would **I** know, this is your soul room after all."

Eyes that had been closed because she no longer wanted to _see_ snapped open. "This… is mine."

"Not anymore." The hand that wasn't securing her arms reached up to pat her on the head, like she was a child. "_This_ is **mine**."

In her moment of weakness Anzu thought of her friends. She didn't know what was happening to them all, on the other side of the mirror. Jounouchi could be fighting Marik's control, and Yugi would do everything he could to help his friends. She already owed them so much. She was the one who always ended up getting rescued. Not this time. She doubted they could even find her here, wherever here even was.

"If it's mine then you don't belong here! Get out!" A fierce wind whipped through the narrow corridor, ruffling their hair and causing Anzu to shut her eyes tightly against it. A shock ran through her entire body, and she felt Marik yell and release her. She fell forward; _shouldn't there have been a mirror here_? Everything was gone and she saw nothing, felt nothing, and then there was nothing but darkness. The last thing her mind registered before it returned to fuzzy oblivion was Marik's fading laughter.

"You may have escaped **me** for now, Anzu, but next time—and there will be a next time—you will not be so lucky. This was just too much fun not to try again. But don't think that you will try running to your so-called friends, for once you leave the soul room you will find it hard to _remember_. To regain that which is lost all you need to do is come back. _Here, you know everything_."

// Anzu awoke with a start, with no idea of where she was. The sun was shining brightly and there was a strong smell of salt; she must be near the ocean. Through the haze she could make out two figures. Her best friends were dueling against each other… "Yugi! Jounouchi!" She wanted to go to them but she couldn't, she was strapped down to a chair. Looking around, her eyes widened with the realization that she might have done this _to herself_. She faintly heard Yugi shout at Marik to let her go. Marik…he was the one Ishizu warned them all about! He had been controlling all those people! Was he now controlling Jounouchi?

"No, pharaoh. You could not suffer half the pain that **I** have been forced to endure, so we will keep suffering a little longer. You want it to end? Then die!" It was Jounouchi who was talking, yet his voice was monotone and his eyes seemed dead; everything else about him was so unlike him and nothing felt right, it was all _wrong_. For a moment, she thought she saw a shadow of her old friend again, and he howled in agony at what he was being made to do. He was fighting it.

Anzu and Yugi both cried out, "Jounouchi! Wake up and remember our friendship!"

She heard him yell and saw him cry and she knew that he had released himself from Marik's control. He did it… but it was still too late. She heard the sound of life points winding down to zero as they both crashed into the water, Yugi rising to the surface moments later. She waited for Jounouchi to surface, but she didn't see any movement beneath the water. It had been too long; he was going to drown. She hadn't seen Shizuka leap into the water until she emerged, clutching her brother to her, gasping for the breaths that she, until now, had taken for granted. //

* * *

// A tournament. A blimp. A duel to the finish. Anzu and Yugi watched helplessly as the shadow game played between Marik and Bakura drew to a close. She was here even though Yugi had warned that it might be dangerous, but she wanted to help. Somehow, she could be useful.

How right she was.

The clouds obscuring their vision of the dueling field had only begun to lift when she felt it. It was like a memory, or the feeling of finding something that she had lost for a long time. Her lungs contracted and then expanded painfully as she felt him enter her consciousness. "Listen to me, Anzu!" His voice sounded frantic and desperate. "You're my last hope. Part of me still exists within you." She couldn't quite remember where the voice was coming from, but it was there, and he was telling her to let herself go, and she did. And then there was nothing but darkness all around her. //

-----

Being in her soul room for the second time was much different than being there the first time. Everything seemed lighter, and she was less afraid. Maybe it had more to do with the fact that she was starting to figure out how to control her environment. She eyed the barré running alongside one wall apprehensively, feeling a bit silly for wanting to dance. Perhaps just a few exercises…

She stretched first, extending one leg and reaching down, feeling her muscles relax. Dancing always made her feel calmer, and whenever things seemed a little beyond her control Anzu would dance and things would seem a little brighter. She danced when she didn't know what else to do. She finished when every part of her felt loose and relaxed, wanting to step away from the mirror so she would have room to move around.

He appeared mid-turn. She saw his reflection first, then stopped, shocked, to see him standing there in the middle of the room. "What the hell are you doing here?" Her eyes narrowed at his presence.

"Anzu, I didn't have a choice, you know that, you were there…"

"Save it," her eyes burned with anger, "you really had us all convinced! I thought you were a friend, while Rishid merely pretended to be you!"

"I know," he gritted out between clenched teeth.

"But I need you to help me save him…my brother, you must know; **he** would have killed him to keep me from coming back. Rishid was…_is_ my brother, and I threw that away. It was my fault that he ended up like this, and damn it, Anzu, I won't let it happen again, not if I can do anything about it!"

She eyed him skeptically. He seemed sincere, but she couldn't help but remember the events that played out the last time he was in her soul room. He had toyed with her just for his own amusement. But this time, he was different. She sensed a desperation from him that was like nothing she had seen before. She had always seen him completely in control. Marik appealing to her like this… the bond he shared with his brother must be very strong.

"Please, won't you help me save him?" Her eyes widened; he was pleading to her.

"Alright… I'll help you. But you have to answer some of my questions."

"Of course."

Anzu forgot about the room, about her dancing and the mirrors which brought light yet held none within them and focused completely on the man before her. "There's got to be more going on. What is so important about Rishid that he could be killed? By, uh… you?"

"In my entire life Rishid has always been right beside me. When rage and hatred for my life as a tomb keeper and the pain that I had been forced to endure became too much for me to bear, they formed another part of me that became focused completely on revenge. **He**_ is me_, but it is a part of me that I cannot control. Since the first time **he** emerged, Rishid has been the only one capable of bringing me back. That other part of me… **he** knows that without Rishid I do not have the strength to challenge **him**. Once my brother is safe, I'll be able to reclaim my body and stop **him** from gaining any more power."

Anzu looked on, her lip quivering at his resolve. _Despite everything he's been through, he knows he has to put that aside and put an end to the darkness once and for all_. "I was the one that created **him**, and I am the one that must destroy **him**."

She approached him, trying to give him strength by the only means she knew how. What lay ahead for him would be harder than anything he's gone through. "What can I do?"

He looked up at her, shock apparent throughout his features. Every muscle in his body tensed. "You… wish to help _me_?" No one had ever offered to help him before by their own free will, except Ishizu and Rishid. He had taken control of so many people; he had nearly forgotten what it felt like to accept someone's help without expecting anything in return. He didn't know how to react to her kindness.

"Yes. I want to help you."

He gave her a long, hard look that neither of them could break away from, and she saw gratitude and concern in his eyes, words that could not be said aloud, _not yet_… Gently she took his hand in hers, and he covered it; she was so fragile…what could happen to her if **he** chose it… he didn't want to bear the burden of any more suffering by his own doing.

"I need to stay here, in your mind, for the time being," he told her, and she nodded. "While my body is being controlled by my darker half, I cannot return. I may need to use your body to communicate with Ishizu, or to protect you, if anything should happen. _I will never hurt you_, and I will try my best to make sure you do not get hurt." Determination shone through every part of him, and she believed him.

She believed _in_ him. Together, they would make things right.

-----

//Everyone else was watching the duel between Kaiba and Jounouchi for third place in the Battle City Tournament. At the top of the Duel Tower and away from the rest of the group, Marik gripped **his** Millennium Rod so tightly that **his** fingers ached. Why did it not obey **him**! Every time **he** commanded that it show the vision that Kaiba and Yugi saw, it refused to yield. In a fit of anger, **he** tossed it aside. "Useless."

It rolled along the floor, coming to a stop with a scraping sound as the metal of the Item hit stone. Then the sound of it scraping again made Marik realize that **he** was not as alone as **he** had thought. The girl, Anzu, dared touch **his** Millennium Rod? "Return to me what's **mine**; wielding a Millennium Item involves a power that you could neither understand nor control."

She remained silent. Well, if she would not give it back, then **he** would take it back. **He** reached for the Millennium Rod, but before **he** could get close to the girl a bright light emitted from the Rod, throwing **him** backwards and onto the ground. _How could this be?_ _She does not have the power to control __**my**__ Millennium Rod!_

**He** hardly had time to rise to his feet before Anzu was on **him**, forcing **him** back to the railing of the tower. **He** felt the cool metal on **his** back and laughed at how she thought she could throw **him** over the railing. Or was it not her? _How interesting…_ "Marik, it is you! **I** never would have guessed you'd use this girl to stay alive. How weak. **I** ought to show you just how much stronger **I**'ve become in your absence." **He** grinned wickedly at the emotionless expression on Anzu's face. She was being controlled… **He** lived for chaos, and things were about to get a lot more chaotic.//

Anzu didn't know what was going on when she came into her soul room. Marik refused to tell her even though she asked him repeatedly the last time she saw him. She had been looking forward to coming back here, as much to see him as the fact that there was nothing to do on KaibaCorp Island. But she was here, now, because he had control over her body. She moved drowsily around the empty space, feeling sorry that Marik had to stay here. The only thing the room was designed for was dancing, and as far as she knew, he didn't dance. She giggled at the thought of imagining him dancing ballet.

She rested one hand on the wooden bar and begun stretching again. She was getting rusty from not practicing enough, and a small part of her was glad to have this space to remember some of her technique. Pliés, then développés into an arabesque. Keeping one foot planted to the ground she moved into a series of pirouettes, spinning several times across the room. She tried to keep her head steady like she had been taught. Coming out of the turn, she was facing the mirror. Her hair was a little messy from the spinning and she breathed heavily. She thought she saw movement from the back of the room. "Marik? Are you back?"

"You caught me. I was hoping to watch you dance a little bit longer." She couldn't help but blush at the fact that he had been watching her dance.

"I'm not that great yet," she didn't want to look at him yet, so she busied herself with straightening her hair while she flexed one foot against the floor. "Is everything okay?"

"It will be," he replied seriously. "When I destroy** him**!"

"_And __**I**__ suppose you're the one to do it? __**I**__ don't think you're in any position to be making threats._"

The voice was echoing everywhere, all at once, and it was malevolent and dangerous and Anzu had heard it in here before and—

**He** was back.

"Anzu, get away from that mirror!" Marik lunged forward and practically pushed Anzu behind him, frantic to get distance between them and the grinning face of his enemy. **Him**self. He stood up straight to match the posture of his other; he would not be defeated, not now and not here. Excepting for the expressions on their faces, Anzu could have thought she was only looking into a mirror. She hadn't thought whether her soul room could be invaded like this, but now she assumed that if Marik could get in, he wouldn't be the only one.

"You will leave this place right now!" Marik's voice was dangerously cold and Anzu shivered. She had never heard him sound like this before. He sounded like…

"Well isn't that rude. Is that how you treat guests? Remember Marik, you are a guest yourself." He crossed his arms to match Marik's gesture. "**I** had my suspicions; **I** just wanted to make sure. You are holed up in this girl's brain like a leech, sapping her strength to keep yourself strong." **His** grin widened at Anzu's gasp. "What, you never told her? He gets weaker with each passing day that he is separated from **my** body. It is only a matter of time before he completely wastes away. **I** imagine he wanted to protect you or something equally foolish. **I**'ll bet he didn't even tell you that he took over your body and went to talk with **me**."

"Stop it right now!" Marik looked like he regretted those words the instant he said them; for a moment Anzu turned to look at him and as their eyes met she looked confused, afraid, and hurt. "Anzu, don't listen to him!" She turned back to look in the mirror and **he** made the same exact gesture in the mirror. No matter how hard she tried, it was impossible to look at both of them at the same time.

"Yes, there exists the danger that she might figure out the truth." **He** matched Marik's movements exactly; feet spread apart and one hand hanging loosely at **his** side. **His** gaze narrowed on Anzu. "You have the power to expel him from your soul room. He hasn't been helping you; he's been hurting you this whole time! Make him leave and be gone for good, and then leave here and come see **me**. You'll finally get the answers you're looking for."

**His** voice was dark and commanding. For a moment she was back in the maze of mirrors, looking at **him** as **he** held her in that mock embrace. She wanted to get as far away from Marik as possible just so that she wouldn't see herself with **him** in the mirror. **He** smirked at her and mouthed the word "**mine**."

For a moment, Anzu considered giving in. She didn't know what to believe anymore. She could hardly tell the difference between them, and Marik was in front of her, blocking her—

"Anzu, no! Look at me." Marik's eyes were downcast and pleading. Anzu didn't want to meet his eyes; instead she raised her head to look in the mirror at **his**.

She looked back from one to the other, torn between them. She wanted to scream, turn and run away, but found herself rooted to the spot. She thought that if **his** grin was any wider the mirror was going to crack. **He** noticed her indecision, threw **his** head back and laughed; eerie and chilling. **He** thought **he** had won.

**His** movements had broken the spell. She looked at **him**, and recognized **him** for what **he** was.

Anzu turned her head to look at Marik, and smiled at him. She turned back and narrowed her eyes at the reflection in the mirror.

"If I do have power over this room, then I'll use it to send you back where you came from! Now get out!" She yelled out the words despite the distance between them. She cried out as the wind picked up again, surrounding them.

"This can't be happening!" **He** pounded on the glass in an attempt to break free. The wind made it impossible to see clearly but she could still hear the thud of his fists. Marik pulled Anzu towards him, shielding her further from **him** as the force of **his** fists detached the mirror from the wall. The sound of breaking glass was almost as intense as the overwhelming silence that followed.

Anzu allowed herself to melt into his embrace. His arms were wrapped around her, pulling her tightly to him. His hair brushed against her collarbone, and it tickled a little. It took her a minute to realize that the danger was over, but she couldn't bring herself to tear away from him.

At that moment Anzu felt overwhelmingly safe. To the degree that **he** made her feel terrified, Marik made her feel protected, just like he promised.

He seemed to realize that everything was over and gently helped her up. "Look, Anzu… I'm sorry. I should have told you everything from the start. I didn't think—"

"Neither of us thought that **he** could get in here," she finished for him. "But I'm more worried about you. Is what he said true? Are you getting weaker?"

He nodded. "It's true."

Anzu didn't want to hear any of this. She didn't want it to be true.

"You can't do anything to change it. I don't know if I even have the strength to take control of you any more. I need to prepare, the final duel is going to start soon and **he** must be stopped. I'll do anything to help Yugi finish this. You know that."

She still hadn't moved or said anything. He frowned, awkwardly placing one hand on her shoulder to try and comfort her. "What's wrong?"

"I was so afraid that when I banished **him** from this room, that somehow you would be forced out too," she blurted out. His eyebrows rose. He hadn't ever thought of _that_. "You were losing strength, and what if I sent you away and you might have d-died and it'd be my fault…"

Marik pulled her into him in a tight embrace. He was familiar enough with that kind of situation to know exactly where it was going. "But you didn't, and I'm still here, and it's going to be okay." He soothed her, not really sure if he was doing it right because she didn't seem to be getting better but continuing anyway. Anzu stayed, huddled in his arms, afraid to look at him because then it would answer the question that she had been dodging this entire time…

Anzu didn't want Marik to leave.

-----

// The moment the final duel began, things didn't seem right. Purple-black clouds blanketed the entire arena, reinforcing the desolate aura which made Anzu's skin crawl. She had faith in Yugi, but she was also afraid for him—if he lost, he would be gone forever! In a sense, it felt like they were already in the shadow realm. It felt hopeless. She called out to Yugi. //

Anzu didn't really feel like dancing. Not today. No matter who won, it seemed like Anzu was the one who would lose. She sat down, cross-legged, and stared at the mirrors as if hoping they would show her all the answers. She shuddered at the last thing they had shown her, and at the hazy dark hole behind the mirror that had fallen when she banished **him**. It felt like **him**—diseased and rotten.

Anzu sighed. She only wanted more time. "Marik…"

"Yes, Anzu?" As soon as she said his name he had appeared and was now walking towards her from the back of the room. She saw his reflection in the mirror get bigger and bigger until he knelt on the ground beside her. "Is everything alright?"

"No," she drew her knees up and lowered her chin until her whole body was tucked into a circle. "May I ask you something?"

"Anything." He looked around the room worriedly. It felt like they were on borrowed time.

"Why did you keep coming back here?" Her words echoed in the silence, as if asking all the other questions Anzu couldn't bring herself to ask. _Why do you keep coming back to me? Why me_?

His arm had brushed against hers when he knelt, and now she felt it tense at her question. Anzu really had no idea what he was going to say. Finally, he spoke, his voice breaking several times because it was so soft.

"I… I don't know."

He looked defeated, and she was still confused. Marik was the avatar for the duel's life points, so why did he need to come back to her now? She could only guess that he had something important to say to her, or… this was a _goodbye_. "No. Y-you can't."

He brushed aside his bangs so he could look at her clearly. "I must. I need to take control of your body one last time, to support the pharaoh. It was my destiny to wait for his return, and now he's back and I've done nothing but stand in his way. He needs me to defeat him, Anzu. I need to let him know that he must win the duel no matter what. He shouldn't try to save me, I deserve to go—"

"Don't say that!" Her words brought him out of his depression better than a slap would've, but Anzu's hand was raised, just in case. "Sure, in the past you did terrible things, but the important part is that you're sorry, and you're helping to make things right. You do not deserve to go to the shadow realm. Just look at all the things you've done here! You saved me when **he** came."

"Anzu," he gritted out between clenched teeth. "You know that you won't remember anything that happens inside here when you leave. You cannot vouch for me based off of the events that took place inside your soul room." He allowed a grim smile to rise to his face. "Mirrors don't tell lies, Anzu. I was able to learn so much from my time here and you saw me for who I am, not **what** I was. I don't know how I'll ever be able to thank you."

She rolled closer to him until her head rested on his shoulder. His arms instinctively wrapped around her. "You don't have to go," Anzu whispered.

"Yes I do."

"Not yet you don't."

His arms pulled her even closer to him. He could feel his strength fading. They didn't have much time.

"What do you want?"

"I want to see you dance again."

With a tiny smile Anzu took his hands and pulled him up to stand with her. "Dance with me."

She made the first move; it was obvious that Marik didn't know the first thing about dancing. Her arms clasped around his shoulders while his arms rested around her waist. They swayed a little, not doing any complicated moves, just enjoying being together during the time that they could. She rested her head gently on his shoulder. They didn't have to say anything; Marik seemed to clutch her to him tightly as if he could absorb all of the strength that she wanted to give him.

"Anzu…" she looked up at him, and his face seemed drawn. There were hollows in his cheeks and she had never seen him look so exhausted. "It's time for me to go."

"No!" She shouted, her fingers gripping into his shoulders. "I…don't want you to go."

"I can't stay." He motioned with his head towards the hole in the mirrors. A black and purple fog was seeping out of the opening. The same place where **he** had been… she didn't like the look of it.

"I'm going to miss you." She didn't want to let go of him.

_No, you won't_. Marik saw the fog begin to work its way towards them. He knew that it was here to take him back to the shadow game. It wasn't for her, but that didn't mean it wasn't a threat to her. He had to go before it was too late. Besides, he was running out of strength. He was without a body, and as his life points had depleted parts of him had been sent to the shadow realm. Looking at Anzu, he realized he didn't want to leave, either. There were so many things he wanted to tell her, but he didn't want to hurt her. He had managed to hurt everyone he had ever been close to, and if he hurt Anzu, he didn't know if he could live with it…

What made it so much worse was that Marik knew she wouldn't remember. If he told her anything now, he knew he'd have to carry that burden alone. He was pretty sure that once she left, the soul room would cease to exist. She would have to leave. Anzu didn't have a choice. Slowly he felt himself being pulled towards the portal in the mirror.

"No!"

Anzu still refused to let him go. Together, they were being pulled towards the hole. Marik knew that he couldn't let Anzu get into the portal. She didn't belong in the shadow realm. He had to let her go.

"Anzu… I'm sorry." He searched every detail of her face as if memorizing it. He knew he wouldn't forget a thing, but he also knew that things would never be the same. _I'll always love you_…

She was forced to let go as he was pulled into the portal, but he grabbed her hands, holding them tightly before taking one hand and kissing the top of it. Reluctantly, he let her go as he drifted through the space between the mirrors and was gone.

Anzu was alone in her soul room.

It was overwhelmingly quiet. Anzu wanted to yell out, to scream, just to fill the silence. He was gone… She choked back a sob; she hadn't wanted to cry in front of him. But now he was gone and never coming back and it was just so _unfair_.

She raised her fists and pounded on the mirror in front of her; first one hand, then the other. _Thud, Thud, Thud, Thud_. She took her anger out on the only thing she could—her reflection. But no matter what, the mirror remained unscathed. She took both hands and slammed them against the surface of the mirror with a resounding _thud_.

She gasped as the piece of mirror swung aside like a door on its hinges, and for the first time Anzu was able to see what lay behind the mirror.

Her friends were all around the deck, and they were watching the duel. The Winged Dragon of Ra was on one end of the arena, facing off against the pharaoh's Obelisk. She looked out, and farthest from her, nearly one with the shadows…

"Marik."

Her heart ached to see him like this. If she could, she would run straight over to him and free him from whatever was keeping him bound. She was about to move until she realized that _this _was the way out. She would be gone forever, and she would never remember. But she had to return; she couldn't stay there forever. _I'll always love you…_ She took a deep breath, looked straight at Marik, and stepped _outside_.

// Anzu looked around the arena, shaking her head as if to clear it. "Hey guys, did I doze off or something?" //


End file.
